What's the optimal reading speed?

Camilla Delvalle · Sep 3, 2010

Normally I read fast. Not extremely fast maybe, but in recent days I have been thinking that with high speed I lose immersion. Sometimes after finishing a good book I feel like I should have read slower. (And sometimes I feel like I should have read faster.)

How fast do you read? Do you visualize descriptions? Do you take the time to listen to the dialogue? Do you give the different characters different voices and try to remember how they look like? Or do you just skim past?

I guess this also depends on the author. A text that is graphical and engages many senses maybe invites to slower reading. As long as it isn't long boring descriptions of course. And a wordy, abstract narration about unimportant things is easier to skim through.

Although I'm trying to read slower, I sometimes find it too boring. Also there is a huge stack of books that I want to read, expecially classics, because I want to become a better writer and more educated. This makes me want to read even faster.

TheIT · Sep 3, 2010

The first time I read a book, I tend to read fast since I'm immersed in the roller-coaster ride of the story. If I like the story, I'll reread it for greater comprehension and to look at how the author crafted the story.

Shadow_Ferret · Sep 3, 2010

I don't read fast at all. In fact, I probably read at "read out loud" speed because I tend to pronounce the words in my head. The best you can say about me is I don't move my lips.

Captcha · Sep 3, 2010

Different speeds work for different writing. If you're just reading for pleasure, pace yourself on what's enjoyable about the book (fast if you're just reading for plot, slower for characterization, even slower for beautiful language). If you're reading with intent, try to sort out WHY you're reading. If I'm really trying to absorb something, either information or writing style, I'm crazy-slow, because I'm taking notes, reflecting, etc.

Chris P · Sep 3, 2010

I'm a very slow reader; probably not much faster than people speak. My exwife could finish a book in about one third the time I could.

I always blamed it on being a late reading bloomer (I was 8 or so before I caught up with my classmates), but I have no idea if that has anything to do with it. My retention used to be very high, but alas I'm not as young as I used to be.

Camilla Delvalle · Sep 3, 2010

Kate_Sherwood said:
Different speeds work for different writing. If you're just reading for pleasure, pace yourself on what's enjoyable about the book (fast if you're just reading for plot, slower for characterization, even slower for beautiful language). If you're reading with intent, try to sort out WHY you're reading.

Yes, in recent days I have been thinking more about what kind of prose I'm reading at the moment. Being a writer has made me more conscious about this. If it is a part that seems to be well written and interesting I slow down to immerse more, but if it is boring I will read faster.

PivotalSyntax · Sep 3, 2010

For normal fiction I read at an "out-loud" pace. It's the only thing that feels natural to me. I pronounce every word in my head, try to soak it in, digest it, see it, live it, and experience it. I often pause to reflect at certain thought-provoking moments. It only seems right. There are moments when I wish I could read faster, but then again, maybe it's not so bad.

KyraDune · Sep 4, 2010

I'm a fast reader and very visual. I can see every scene, hear every word spoken, just as if I were watching a movie.

thothguard51 · Sep 4, 2010

IS there really an optimal reading speed? Why?

Ken · Sep 4, 2010

... am a very slow reader. Takes me years to finish reading books. And as to the craftsmanship in novels, I don't pick up on any of it. All I get out of them is the story, and sometimes not even that if the novel I'm reading happens to be a difficult one.

And here I am trying to be a writer.

R.M. Watts · Sep 4, 2010

It really depends on the person and how far they like to immerse themselves into a different setting. I tend to read slowly when characters are speaking or when something strikes me as interesting, but I have a tendency to overlook flowery description. I prefer using my imagination to craft what something looks like rather than having an author describe it down to the last imperfection.

benbradley · Sep 4, 2010

I read slowly enough to get enough comprehension that rarely want to reread a book. If I miss something in a story, forget a character name, I go right back a few paragraphs until I find it (or I remain mystified, taking me significantly out of the story). I very rarely reread novels (it's like watching reruns on TV), but sometimes even often I reread passages/sections of technical books.

I suppose my reading speed is fairly slow, but I know what I've read.

NicoleB · Sep 7, 2010

I read fast. Very fast.

If I like the book, I'll read it again.

Ken · Sep 7, 2010

... 30 pages an hour, minimum. If you read slower than that you're going to have some difficulty reading enough as I know first hand. I hoover around 20 :-( and sometimes even 15 :-(

Yikes. I already replied to this thread. Sorry.

JimmyB27 · Sep 7, 2010

I read very fast. But then, I'm incredibly intelligent, so it seems to work out.

Vito · Sep 7, 2010

Put it this way: It took me two hours to read this entire thread.

KTC · Sep 7, 2010

the question is like asking, 'how fast should i walk?'

we all read at a different speed. no sense worrying about it.

scarletpeaches · Sep 7, 2010

Reading speed has nothing to do with comprehension.

I read fast as fuck with a high rate of comprehension - unless I'm ill, in which case I won't be reading at all. That's my default and I make no apologies for it.

I don't think there is an optimal reading speed at all. Just whatever enables you to get what you want from a book, whether that's education, entertainment or enlightenment. Or even all three.

Camilla Delvalle · Sep 8, 2010

R.M. Watts said:
I tend to read slowly when characters are speaking or when something strikes me as interesting, but I have a tendency to overlook flowery description. I prefer using my imagination to craft what something looks like rather than having an author describe it down to the last imperfection.

Ok. When you use your own imagination, do you take your time visualizing things?

seun · Sep 16, 2010

thothguard51 said:
IS there really an optimal reading speed? Why?

Exactly what I was about to say. I read a book, hopefully enjoy it and then read another. If it takes me a week or a month to read it, I'm not fussed.

extortionist · Sep 17, 2010

It depends on what you're reading and what you're reading it for.

A contemporary mass-market novel can probably be read quickly. A philosophy text from the 1850s should probably be read slowly.

If you're reading to enjoy the main thrust of the story you can probably read quickly. If you're reading to analyze the characters deeply, to understand their thoughts and feelings and decisions, if you want to dissect the plot and the reasons it unfolds the way it does, or if you want to examine the author's style and word choice and phrasing, you should probably read slowly.

If you're reading a text for solely academic reasons, there are numerous strategies you should use to make sure you get through it as quickly as possible. If you're reading a text for pleasure, you should linger on every word or phrase or paragraph that demands you linger on it.

And so on. To some extent, you'll get out of a novel what you put into it--but at the same time, there are novels that don't need a lot of effort and there are novels that can only be understood after a lot of effort.

There is no optimal reading speed; it all comes down to you deciding what's worth reading slowly and what's worth reading quickly and what's not worth reading at all.

Camilla Delvalle · Sep 26, 2010

extortionist said:
If you're reading to enjoy the main thrust of the story you can probably read quickly. If you're reading to analyze the characters deeply, to understand their thoughts and feelings and decisions, if you want to dissect the plot and the reasons it unfolds the way it does, or if you want to examine the author's style and word choice and phrasing, you should probably read slowly.

Yes. Problems arise if one wants both. If the book has a good plot I get excited and read fast to see what happens. But when I'm close to the end I often feel that I have read too quickly and missed out on character development and immersion. Then I slow down, but it is already too late because there are only a few pages left.

Of course one can reread, but there is something special with the first time one reads a book. I'd like it to make that experience as good as possible.

Camilla Delvalle · Sep 26, 2010

thothguard51 said:
IS there really an optimal reading speed? Why?

The speed at which maximum value is extracted?

kuwisdelu · Sep 26, 2010

Mine.

kuwisdelu · Sep 26, 2010

scarletpeaches said:
Reading speed has nothing to do with comprehension.

I read fast as fuck with a high rate of comprehension - unless I'm ill, in which case I won't be reading at all. That's my default and I make no apologies for it.

I don't think there is an optimal reading speed at all. Just whatever enables you to get what you want from a book, whether that's education, entertainment or enlightenment. Or even all three.

But if you read too fast, you'll get pulled over by the reading police and ticketed.

*reads as slow as Ferret and Kevin*

What's the optimal reading speed?

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